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How to run the organisation

Find out what’s involved in governing your not-for-profit organisation in compliance with the law, from setting up your rules to holding meetings.

Content last updated 30/01/2024

Guides to running an organisation

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Introduction

We have published comprehensive guides to running a company limited by guarantee, a charitable company limited by guarantee, an incorporated association in Victoria and an incorporated association in New South Wales.

Don’t know your legal structure?

To find out your organisation’s legal structure: 

  • If your organisation is a charity, search the ACNC register. Once you have found your organisation’s entry, you can check your rules or constitution which should state the type of legal structure. You can search by name and by ABN or ACN. 

  • If your organisation is not a charity, you should start with an Australian Business Register (ABR) search. You will need the name and ideally the ABN or ACN of your organisation. If your organisation is a company limited by guarantee (a federal not-for-profit structure) this will be indicated in the entry as ‘Australian public company’. If your organisation is a state-based not-for-profit structure such as an incorporated association or a co-operative, it's likely that the ABR will list it as 'other incorporated entity'. You will then need to search your state or territory regulator of not-for-profits to confirm your structure. 


Running a company limited by guarantee (CLG)

Our guide is a comprehensive guide to running a CLG. It’s designed to help directors and others in a company by making them aware of their legal obligations and offering 'good governance' tips and tools for running a CLG in Australia.

The guide also offers those running a CLG practical tools including sample documents, checklists, registers and flowcharts.

Guide to Running a CLG
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Running a registered charity company limited by guarantee (CLG)

Our guide focuses on running a CLG registered with the ACNC. It's designed to help directors and others in a company, by making them aware of their legal obligations and offering 'good governance' tips and tools for running a registered charity CLG in Australia.

The guide also offers those running a registered charity CLG practical tools including sample documents, checklists, registers and flowcharts. It includes case studies and references to ACNC documents, including the ACNC-developed model constitution for a registered charity CLG.

Guide to running a registered charity CLG
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Running an incorporated association in Victoria

Our guide is a comprehensive guide to the secretary's role in running an incorporated association. It includes tool kits, samples and precedents, and examples.

The position of secretary is an important one in any incorporated association in Victoria, and secretaries have special legal responsibilities.

The guide is designed to help the secretary (who used to be known as the 'public officer') and others in your association by explaining legal obligations and offering practical tips and tools for running an incorporated association in Victoria.

Any secretary of an incorporated association in Victoria can benefit from this guide, whether the association is a large association with paid employees, or a small, volunteer-run association.

The new Associations Incorporation Reform Regulations 2023 are now in place

To find out more, see the Consumer Affairs Victoria webpage 'New regulations governing incorporated associations in Victoria'.

We are updating our guide. 

Download the full guide

Guide to running an incorporated association in Victoria
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Download the guide in parts

Running an IA in Victoria - Glossary
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Running an IA in Victoria Part 1 - Overview
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Running an IA in Victoria Part 2 - Appointing and removing a secretary
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Running an IA in Victoria Part 3 - Secretarys legal role powers and duties
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Running an IA in Victoria Part 4 - Registers records and official documents
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Running an IA in Victoria Part 5 - AGMs
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Running an IA in Victoria Part 6 - SGMs
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Running an IA in Victoria Part 7 - Committee Meetings
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Running an IA in Victoria Part 8 - Reporting to CAV
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Running an IA in Victoria Part 9 - Tools
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Running an incorporated association in New South Wales

Our guide provides comprehensive information on running an incorporated association in New South Wales. It includes tool kits, samples and precedents, and examples.

The guide is designed to help the public officer and office bearers in your association by explaining legal obligations and offering practical tips and tools for running an incorporated association in New South Wales.

Any office bearer of an incorporated association in New South Wales can benefit from this guide, whether the association is a large association with paid employees, or a small, volunteer-run association.

Download the full guide

Running an IA in NSW
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Download the guide in parts

Part 0_Glossary_Running an IA in NSW
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Part 1_The association_an overview_Running an IA in NSW
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Part 2_The public officer's legal role powers and duties_Running an IA in NSW
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Part 3_Registers records and official documents_Running an IA in NSW
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Part 4_Annual General Meetings_Running an IA in NSW
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Part 5_Special General Meetings_Running an IA in NSW
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Part 6_Committee meetings_Running an IA in NSW
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Part 7_Reporting to Fair Trading_Running an IA in NSW
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The content on this webpage was last updated in September 2023 and is not legal advice. See full disclaimer and copyright notice.


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